via email
Look East for Aid
Zimbabwean exiles in the UK are calling on the European Union to follow the lead of the United States and continue sanctions against the illegal Mugabe regime. They also want all government aid to the 15 member countries of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to be suspended.
The call comes from the Zimbabwe Vigil which has been demonstrating outside the Zimbabwe Embassy in London every Saturday for the past eleven years in support of free and fair elections.
The Vigil is to launch a new petition on Saturday addressed to European Union governments. It reads:
‘Following the rigged elections in Zimbabwe, we urge the European Union to reimpose the targeted sanctions on Mugabe and his cronies. We further call on the EU to suspend government aid to all Southern African Development Community countries until they abide by their commitment to uphold human rights in Zimbabwe.’
Vigil leader Ephraim Tapa said ‘Zimbabwe has been betrayed by SADC which has turned a blind eye to blatantly rigged elections. The choice of Mugabe to be their next Chair at the age of 90 underlines that SADC stands for the Southern African Dictators’ Club.’
Tapa went on ‘SADC has swallowed Mugabe’s propaganda that Zimbabwe’s economic woes are caused by sanctions and has demanded that they be lifted. We question why they are siding with Mugabe against the suffering people of Zimbabwe and the sanctions he has imposed on them: poverty, disease and violence. Why should the tax payers of Europe pay for these Mugabe puppets in SADC?’
‘The UK gives Zimbabwe alone about $100 million a year in government aid despite constant insults from Mugabe, as well as giving hundreds of millions more to the other members of SADC. Altogether the EU gives billions of dollars each year to pay for the misgovernment and corruption of Southern Africa. Why? Let them look East for aid.’
The launch of the petition is part of the global diaspora protest which has seen demonstrations outside Zimbabwe embassies around the 21st of the month since the beginning of last year.
Contacts: Ephraim Tapa 07940 793 090, Fungayi Mabhunu 07746 552 597, Rose Benton 07970 996 007 and 07932 193 467.
Zimbabwe Vigil Co-ordinators
The Vigil, outside the Zimbabwe Embassy, 429 Strand, London, takes place every Saturday from 14.00 to 18.00 to protest against gross violations of human rights in Zimbabwe. The Vigil which started in October 2002 will continue until internationally-monitored, free and fair elections are held in Zimbabwe. http://www.zimvigil.co.uk.
COMMENTS
Sadc & Au are useless to mass of zimbabwe how & what can U expect from a scarecrow like obasanjo. In as far as election observing is concerned
Yes I totally agree with the withdrawal of aid to SADC and Mugabe,these people are just not to be trusted with anything,
What has happened in these elections in Zimbabwe is disgraceful to say the least, outright theft. The west must not support tyrants like Mugabe
Gee, what did you guys expect from African politicians? Remorse? Compassion? You DID allow them into power in the first place. After all, they are your homeboys, cousins, in-laws, friends, and other familiar folks. If they are corrupt and bloodthirsty, it’s because they’ve always been like that, except you didn’t bother noticing that BEFORE helping them rise to power.
When people say, “Black people get the leaders they deserve!” they probably have a really good point. All they have to do is look at shining examples like Haiti and Nigeria.
You guys you are dreaming, day dreaming. if you want to effect change so badly, grab a gun and stay in the bush! Mugabe is not gonna step down because of a wooden hollow box, yet he spent decades in Mozambique, braving the mosquito bites. You thought he was doing it for you?? Then from the clean streets of London, you expect him to listen to a bunch of born-frees who congregate for 4 hours in LONDON to ask someone else to fight their struggle?
If you want Mugabe out, go to Zimbabwe and face him. Otherwise wait quietly for him to die. Isu vatsigiri ve bato takutotora nyika chinyararire, waiting for the opportunities imi muchingochema muchishanda mabasa 4 mu london.
You guys you have problem, do you think any sanctions would affect the SADC leaders ? We have to think twice before we say something. It is our poor rural people, our working class and our school children who suffer not the leaders so by encouraging the West to follow the Americans what will get? Think twice before putting things on the paper.
@Mwana Wevhu
So all those disapora who earn money in London and send it back home to help keep their families alive should go back to fight in Zimbabwe, leaving their families to starve?
I agree that action needs to be taken but for the diaspora there are few options available, and returning to Zim is not one of them.
Let people suffering and facing the situation talk, you are benefiting from this ludicrous situation of Zimbabwe, at your younger ages what resulted you to be in London, don’t ever tell me that you went to London because you were threaten by the political situation in Zimbabwe ,you are in London to achieve your own fanancial goals, trully Zimbabweans on the grass roots are suffering because of these sanctions,Zimbabwe will be stable sooner and you stupid young people you will never have any excuses of being in London and hiding there, very soon you will be deported back to Zimbabwe , wait and see and your coming back to Zimbabwe will never be cerebrated but might be interogated,stop your unnecessary gathering and think about how you can assist those who are suffering right now without food, sanctions have never affected Mugabe but they are really a pain to the ordinary people of Zimbambe . Thank you Anold thats a point , people must understand fully about the situation of Zimbabwe and stop gabling around .
khabo don’t be foolish. Have 3 million Zimbabweans left for other countries just because they want to “achieve their own financial goals”?
“sanctions have never affected Mugabe but they are really a pain to the ordinary people of Zimbambe”.
Really? Show us how *targetted* sanctions that prevent Mugabe from travelling to the west affect the ordinary man. Go on.
Sad ,your mind is too little ,don’t just generalise things ,try to look at a bigger picturer him ,my point is that Mugabe has never gone hungry without food on top his table ,i have never seen him and his ministers queing for the basic commodities in shops or elsewhere eg . Sorry my friend we need broader thinkers wit quality deductions in this site ,your boys and girls in London if really they are abroad for political reasons why do they keep on coming back to Zimbabwe as visitors ,come december border gates will be opened 24hours with unmanageable ques going back to Zimbabwe. Work up , the political situation in Zimbabwe is benefiting such people who doesn’t want to see a change,and they know very well that if ever sanctions could be dropped Zimbabwe would be stable and they will be forced by London to perk and go back or else deported .
@khabo
You didn’t answer the question, anyone would think you are a politician! How do sanctions affect the general man on the street? And how will lifting sanctions make any difference? Targetted sanctions don’t prevent companies from doing business.
As for people going back to Zim on holiday, so what? Should people not be allowed to visit their families?
You accuse people of small minds yet yours has clearly been brainwashed by Mugabe’s propaganda. And you also no nothing of UK laws, nobody would be deported if sanctions were lifted. Where do you get such nonsense?